Series !So., 22. 




p J. H. Shultsl 



CORK WORK 
In 






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Uhshults 

PUBUSHLk 
MICH. 



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Price, 15 Cents, 



Kindergarten Material in Primary 
Schools— How to Use It. 



Tie Ninth Occupation-Peas and 
Cork Work-in Primary Schools. 



A Practical Manual Especially for Primary- 
Kindergarten Teachers. 

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS 



By J. H. SHULTS. 



Copyright 1904, by J. H. Shults, flanistee, Hich. 



Manistee, Michigan. 

AMERICAN KINDERGARTEN SUPPLY HOUSE. 

J. H. Shults, Proprietor. 



LIBRARY 

Iwc Copies tiocsiveu 

MAR 18 1905 

<( ^3oDyritnn entry 
wiSS «_- XAc Ww ; 
COFY 6. 



L6//73 



PREIFAGE. 

THIS work constitutes one of a series now issued 
or soon to be published upon the use of kin- 
dergarten material in primary schools. 

The purpose of the author and publisher is to aid in 
bringing about the best possible kindergarten training 
in primary schools. 

While the use of this material has rapidly in- 
creased within the last few years, thus far there has 
been an almost total absence of literature along this 
line. 

While the regular kindergartens are doing most 
worthy work, yet their operations are limited to the 
comparative few. Probably 95 per cent of the chil- 
dren of America will receive their first training out- 
side the home in primary schools, and while the estab- 
lishment of regular kindergartens everywhere is always 
tn be encouraged, in the meantime let us labor to make 
the best possible and only available substitute — the pri- 
mary school — a place where at least some of the ad- 
vantages of kindergarten training can be secured. 

The teacher will understand that the primary pur- 
pose of all the kindergarten gifts and occupations is 
the development of the physical, mental and moral fac- 
ulties of the child, and not the construction of objects, 
etc. While it is probably true, that no child can con- 
struct a form new to him without developing his capac- 
ity for construction, yet a much greater development 
will result if the lessons are properly conducted. In 
order to secure the best development, the child should 
be helped by hints and suggestions, rather than by di- 
rect instruction. He should be encouraged to think 

7 



and act for himself, and to overcome the difficulties 
which he encounters, unaided, whenever possible. This, 
however, should not be carried so far as to lead the 
child to become discouraged or dissatisfied with the 
work, but the child should be encouraged to develop 
his own powers and not become merely a medium for 
the expression of the thoughts of the teacher. 

The author takes this opportunity to sincerery 
thank all who have in any way assisted in the prep 
aratioii of this series of works. 

The usual methods employed in the kindergarten 
are varied with a view to rendering them . susceptible 
of more efficient correlation with the regular primary- 
work, and beyond this no claim of originality is made. 
Ifas a result of this series of works some of the 
blessings of kindergarten training may come to an in- 
creased number of the children of America, however 
small, we shall feel that the labor has not been in vain. 
The only apology we offer for frequent reference to 
elementary principles in pedagogy is the belief that 
this work will fall into the hands of many inexperi- 
enced teachers who may profit by such reference, how- 
ever valueless they may prove to those of more exper- 
ience. 

THE AUTHOR. 



The Ninth Occupation — Peas and Cork Work 
— in Primary Schools. 

The aim of this occupation is to train the eye for 
perspective drawing and to further progress in con- 
struction work and manual dexterity. 

The material consists of corks and wires, also peas 
and sticks. Owing to the cheapness of the material, 
and the variety of surface and solid forms which can 
be constructed, this occupation should prove very pop- 
ular in primary schools. 

As a substitute for the regular sticks sold by kinder- 
garten supply houses, toothpicks can be used, but thev 
are not so satisfactory. The rounded toothpicks with 
sharpened points are preferable for some designs, and 
can be had of some dealers in kindergarten supplies. 

The forms representing the outlines of solids afford 
very excellent models for drawing. 

Where the designs are made of the cork and wire, 
it is not customary, owing to the expense of the mater- 
ial, to preserve them permanently, but well selected 
marrowfat peas can be purchased cheaply, and used 
in connection with the sticks at little expense, and 
hence preserved permanently. 

The peas should be allowed to soak in water for 
twelve hours or so, then allowed to dry about one 
hour. 

This occupation requires but little supervision. 
The children are delighted with the work, which can 
be used in many ways, in connection with language 
and number exercise. 




Owing to the cheapness of the material the child 
may claim as his own whatever forms he constructs. 

The pupils will experience considerable difficulty in 
getting the forms which represent the solids true in 
shape, as there is a tendency to warp out of true. This 
can be overcome only by practice. 









Cubes of the third gift, bricks of the fourth gift, and 




G=0=Q 




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tablets of the seventh gift can be constructed of the 
peas and sticks and placed together to form a design. 




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t-9 




12 



The work should be frequently interspersed with 
talks about the object constructed, its uses, import- 
ance, how made, etc. 

A portion of one lesson may be profitably devoted to 
examining the peas and talking about them. 

A clock face can be made by using the rings of the 
eleventh gift for the circles and sticks of suitable 
length for the hands, and Roman numerals made of 
sticks and peas. 

Using sand trays, the peas may be placed in the 
sand to form letters, figures, words, and simple designs. 
The tray may be called an orchard, and the trees rep- 
resented by peas planted in rows equally distant in 
each direction. In a similar way gardens may be 
represented. 

Words can be made up from the letters, and an in- 
teresting exercise may be had by allowing the pupils 
to make one or more of the words given below : 



car 


hop 


on 


hat 


top 


or 


tar 


pen 


as 


pan 


end 


was 



Let them find letters which if prefixed to a word 
will change it into another word, also letters which if 
affixed to a word will produce the same effect. Thus 
with the word as : w-as ; as-h. 

By the use of the slats of the tenth gift, the pupils 
may be able to make the plus and minus signs, and 
then read it. These exercises in number work should 
be reviewed often, and the material of many other 
kindergarten gifts and occupations can be used alter- 
nately in teaching the work, with a view to securing 
the variety necessary to hold the interest of the pupils. 
All the letters of the alphabet can be made of this 
material, a few of which are illustrated. Likewise the 
Roman numera-ls and figures. 




o 



o 




Matie Lois Loudon. 

A child is always attracted by work, which is sup 
plemented by story telling. 

The following story combines the forms of the 
square, the swing, the rake, the spade, the triangle, the 
form of the house and bed. 

The swing was out under the old elm tree, which 
stood at the edge of the garden. All night long it had 
been swinging back and forth impatiently waiting for 
morning, when Molly and Jack would come again. It 
was so lonely for the swing after they were carried 
off to their little beds at twilight. Their beds were 
both just alike, little white iron bedsteads. 

Early in the morning, right after breakfast, Molly 
tied on her sunbonnet, while Jack snapped the rubber 




of his broad sun hat under his chin, when they both 
ran out to the elm tree. 

The sun and the elm tree and the swine: were all 



LS 



glad to see them. They smiled at the sun, though it 
wa,s rather warm even at that time in the morning - . 
They patted the bark of the old elm tree, and put their 
arms about the swing:. 

Molly climbed into the swing;, while Jack ran off 
to the summer house, where he kept his spade and 
garden rake. 

Jack was a very careful little boy and he knew that 
if he left his tools lying: out in the dew and rain that 
they would rust and be hard to work with, so instead 
he picked them up carefully when he was done with 
them and carried them into the summer house. 

It was the last of April and Molly and Jack knew 
that if anyone had flowers the seeds must be planted 
in time. 

First they planned their beds — one was to be oblong, 
another square and still another one was to be a tri- 
angle. Molly and Jack knew all about squares and 
triangles because they went to a kindergarten. 

First, Jack spaded up the ground, then Molly raked 
it carefully, and the seeds were planted. They had 
asked their mother all about the seeds and put them 
in just as she had told them, covering them over 
gently. 

"Oh, Jack, just think of the beautiful flowers we'll 
have," Molly called after Jack, as he carried the spade 
and the rake back to the summer house. 




16 



Chapter III. 

GENERAL NOTES. 

The following hints are applicable to all the gifts 
and occupations, and it is believed that the teacher will 
profit by fi equent reference to them. 

No teacher should follow literally the line of in- 
struction laid down in this or any other treatise on 
kindergarten training. She must inject into the work 
her own personality, which is far more potent for suc- 
cess or failure than most teachers are aware, and must 
always suit the instruction to the age and capacity of 
the pupils. 

She should realize that if the child's education is to 
be complete it must have a threefold development. 

First : physical, resulting in training the hands to do 
his bidding. 

Second, mental, acquiring the ability to think accu- 
rately, definitely and independently ; to see things ana- 
lytically as well as collectively. 

Third : spiritual, obtaining a love of the symmetrical, 
the beautiful, the good and the true, as a final result 
of his physical and mental education. This education, 
if complete, will bring him in harmony with the Creator 
and all His works. He will recognize God as the in- 
spiration and source of all beauty, all perfection, all 
truth, all justice, all love ; in short, of all that is lov- 
able in form, color, sound or attribute. 

Recognizing this, it will lead him naturally to choose 
the good rather than the evil. 

He will realize that no lasting benefits or happiness 
can reach him except through obedience to Divine law, 
that all sorrow and unhappiness result usually from 
the violation somehow and somewhere of the blessed 
laws of the Creator. 

With his education thus perfected he will naturally 



find dissatisfaction in all that which is rough, uncouth, 
imperfect, inharmonious, unkind, unjust and out of 
harmony with the Creator. 

This education is difficult to impart, but rightly di- 
rected, all the kindergarten work will lead toward this 
result. Every symmetrical form constructed, all con- 
templation of beauty, every song and story can be made 
tributary to this result, but perhaps more potent than 
all other influences in tne schoolroom for the spiritual 
development of the child is the personality of the 
teacher. 

Her unconscious influence may lead many naturally 
wayward children into paths of obedience and success, 
but this result will not be accomplished unless the 
teacher herself has been baptized with the spirit of con- 
secration to her work. She must truly love the chil- 
dren and earnestly endeavor to make her work con- 
tributory to their permanent welfare. She must in 
some measure, at least, attain to the attributes of the 
Uood Shepherd, being ever willing to give His 
lite for the sheep ; and possessing this necessary quali- 
fication for most successful teaching, she must not be 
come weary in well-doing, nor discouraged at the ap- 
parent unfruitfulness of her efforts. 

With a full appreciation of the responsibility placed 
upon her, the influence she wields will tell for good 
throughout the lives of the little ones whose dearest 
interests are intrusted to her care. 

Few children will fix their attention for any length 
of time upon a given object or thought unless deeply 
interested. Hence the advantage of employing meth- 
ods which will attract the attention and hold the in- 
terest of the pupils. 

The variety afforded by kindergarten material adds 
to its educational advantages, as children are always 
interested in that which is new. This interest will be 
greatly enhanced if the teacher precedes the presenta- 



tion of the gifts with a talk upon its qualities, its uses, 
etc. 

All the gifts and occupations should be presented in 
the simplest form first, gradually increasing in com- 
plexity as the work progresses. It should be remem- 
bered that the gifts and occupations are to be used to 
develope the child, and when their use can no longer 
serve that purpose they should not be employed. 

Marie Kraus-Boelte says Froebel's gifts and occupa- 
tions contain the foundation for all human occupations. 
They are the true means of play for the children, and, 
as such, they are the guide for the right and just term- 
ination of all other means of occupations ; for together 
they do justice alike to ail the bodily and all the mental 
powers of the child. 

The forms used in connection with the kindergarten 
work are commonly divided into three classes, namely : 
Forms of life, representing objects seen in daily hie. 
such as houses, tables, chairs, etc. Forms of knowl- 
edge — mathematical forms, such as are used in teach- 
ing numbers. Geometrical forms are also included in 
this list. Forms of beauty or symmetry, which consist 
of imaginary forms, in which symmetry largely pre- 
dominates. 

When practical, the pupils should be encouraged to 
work together in producing a given design. For 
instance, in representing a village one pupil should 
build a church, while another constructs a mill, another 
a mercantile establishment, others houses, streets, etc. 

Where there are several grades in one room tin- 
talks by the teacher pertaining to the gifts can be 
used by pupils of higher grades for their writeen lan- 
guage work for the day. 

Whenever this is done, the talk should be directed 
to the older pupils, prefaced by the remark that you 
have a story about this gift for the larger children, but 
if the little ones will pay careful attention perhaps they 
can understand it too. The reason for this is obvious. 

19 



